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Just Say No

Last night, as we cleaned up the room from the gradeschoolers’ church class, Zac asked me a question.

“Mom, can Jenny spend the night on Friday?”

What now? I looked into Zac’s eyes, searching for the punchline. None was forthcoming.

“Uh, no,” I said. I went back to tidying.

He didn’t push it. I left it alone.

No offense to Jenny, but seriously, I won’t host a coed sleepover when the kids involved are teens. Wouldn’t be prudent at this juncture. I remember myself as a teenager. I had all kinds of thoughts, just no opportunity to act on them.

Thank God.

I can appreciate friendships with the opposite sex. I have a few that I treasure. But I don’t put myself – or my kids – in compromising situations. Sure, our kids would probably do fine. But in the interest of preserving purity, let’s skip it. I realize some may not agree with me on this. They might say, “Susan, you’re old-fashioned. You’re acting like a prude. Get a life, man.”

Though a false conclusion, I can take the heat.

Zac, another adult helper and I finished shuttling the children to their parents. Our family piled into the car and drove home. Zac didn’t bring up his request again, nor did he get angry or sulk about my decision.

Nobody likes to be told no. I sure don’t. We want to do what we want, whenever we want. However, saying no can save us and others from possible pain. Soon enough, temptations will come up that Zac and Ruby will have to face, head on, without parental intervention. Their training and trust in God will face testing. Last night, Zac, though nearly an adult, got to let me be the bad guy one more time.

I can live with that.

Direct your children onto the right path,and when they are older, they will not leave it. – Proverbs 22:6